Cachaça is a fermented-distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice. It is a product made, and almost exclusively consumed, in Brazil. The first references to the product are from the 16th century, though no one is quite sure when it was first made or who created it.

Though the process has been industrialized in some areas, it remains primarily an artisanal product. There are more than 4,000 official producers of the beverage (though research by the government puts the total number of producers, including those who are not registered companies, above 11,000).

Like other spirits such as whiskey, rum, and bourbon, cachaça can be aged in barrels, though it need not be. The caipirinha, a popular drink made with cachaça, is often made with a clear or “silver” cachaça not aged in barrels. Nearly 30 different types of wood are used to produce barrels that store aged cachaça. This diversity provides a range of flavor not found in other spirits.